Lithium-gold-related complexes in p-type crystalline silicon

Using Hall and conductivity measurements the formation of a Li-Au-related c omplex in p-type crystalline silicon is demonstrated. Substitutional gold i s known to introduce two energy levels in the band gap of silicon, a deep a cceptor level at E-c - 0.56 eV and a deep donor level at E-v + 0.34 eV. We observe two energy levels introduced by lithium diffusion of Au-doped silic on, a previously reported acceptor at E-c - 0.41 eV in n-type Si:Au and a n ew level at E-v + 0.41 eV in p-type Si:Au. In addition, control of the Li-d oping level of p-type Si is found to shift the Fermi level position between the deep donor level to the deep acceptor level as expected, thus confirmi ng their presence in the samples. We discuss the identity of these levels i n comparison with theoretical predictions for the interaction between hydro gen and the energy levels of substitutional Au in silicon. (C) 1999 Elsevie r Science B.V. All rights reserved.